Pause
by 19RosesofLifeandDeath98
Summary: "The best lies contain within them nuggets of truth, enough to give a listener pause." - George R. R. Martin Cloak and Dagger fic with Tandy Bowen/ Tyrone Johnson
1. Chapter 1

Tandy checks her watch for the third time in the last ten minutes and feels the dense atmosphere of the ship yard sink into her skin. Her back is starting to ache from laying prone atop these industrial crates, but it gives her the perfect vantage point. From here, she can see both the main and the side entrance of the warehouse. This is where her newest lead brought her, and based on the obscene number of armed guards, her hunch had been right. Eventually the goal will be infiltration, but she needs to do more surveillance first.

It's easy to lose sight of that goal, though, when the air is sticky and hot and her underwear is wedging in the worst possible way. Maybe she should have listened to Ty. Maybe this had been a bad idea. Then again, he doesn't like anything about her Roxxon investigation. He said he didn't want her to get hurt, didn't want her obsessing over something that may never amount to anything.

 _"They covered up my dad's death, Ty. They took everything from me."_

That's all she ever had to say and he'd drop it. She knows why, knows he's probably the only person in New Orleans who understands what she's feeling.

Tandy shakes her head and tries to force Tyrone out of her mind. She checks her watch again. Ty said he was going to Evita's at eight. She wonders if he's still there, what they're doing, and then remembers that she isn't thinking about him and turns back to the warehouse.

There is a black van pulling out from the other side of the building. It stops briefly for an inspection from several guards, then exits through one of the many security gates. Tandy's watched the same van make the same rounds the last three nights she's come here. That has to be something, right? She decides yes, that is something, and that it's enough for tonight. She is stiff and hungry and done hiding on top of this stupid storage unit.

Pulling her hood tighter, Tandy shimmies to the other end of the crate and swings her legs over the side. She uses the metal braces bolted to the crate's side to gingerly climb down, her feet hitting the pavement without a sound. She creeps along the edge of the crate to get one more look at the warehouse. A figure is waiting for her, along with at least ten of his buddies dressed in the same dark uniforms.

"See something you like, Blondie?"

* * *

Tyrone forces himself not to look away from the screen, even as his palms begin to itch and his heart beats wildly. When the inevitable jump scare comes, he flinches away, gasping in what would become a scream if he were alone.

Evita laughs, turning her chin up smugly. "I didn't take you for such a scaredy-cat."

"I didn't take you for someone who likes horror movies." He shoots back.

She shrugs and settles deeper into his side. "I get too focused on the plot holes to be scared. Like take this guy." She gestures to the protagonist onscreen. "He just heard his girlfriend screaming bloody murder. He followed the sound to the basement where the stairs are covered in blood."

"Okay?"

"If he had any sense, this is when he'd call the cops. But no, he's going to try and take this psycho on by himself."

"It's heroic. He's trying to rescue his girl."

"He's trying to be macho. There's no way he can take this on by himself."

Tyrone wants to make a joke, but for some reason his thoughts drift to Tandy. She was planning that Roxxon stakeout tonight. He hopes she's okay. Something crashes onscreen and he jumps again. Evita sniggers, her smile barely contained on her face. Tyrone tries to focus on that instead.

* * *

Tandy's lungs are burning, her heart beating so fast it feels like she's going to explode. She can still hear them behind her. Their boots pound against the concrete at a relentless pace that tells her they aren't going to tire easily. She can't outrun them. She needs to hide.

Without thinking, she draws a dagger from her palm and hurls it behind her. She can tell from their exclamations that it's a shock, but they keep on her. She tries again and this time a piercing scream followed by a thud answers her. Dashing down another row of storage units, she makes some quick turns and spots an opening. In a split second she shimmies in between two crates. Her dark jeans and hoodie make her practically disappear into the shadows.

The sound of charging boots and shouting draws closer and closer. Tandy doesn't breathe, doesn't move a muscle as they blur past her. She waits for the noises to fade, so long that her legs begin to shake, then she inches her way out of the opening. Fingers dig into the back of her neck, yanking painfully on her hair. She doesn't have time to dwell on it as her head collides with the metal crate.

Light explodes behind her eyes, not like when she uses her powers, but like her whole head's turned to white noise. Everything begins to blur around her. The feeling of hands around her throat, the inability to take in air is all noted distantly, like it's happening to someone else. Pushing through the haze is a voice telling her to fight – _fight –_ and she clings to it. She curls her fist, feels the icy heat ignite in her palm, and thrusts it forward. There is a scream, a release, and suddenly she can breathe.

The world pitches sideways as she takes a step, then another. She clutches the edge of the storage unit for support. Her attacker lays in the fetal position, hands covering his bloodied face, moaning in pain, but she barely registers it. There's light in her vision again and it takes her far too long to realize they're flashlights.

"She's over here!" Someone yells, but the figures coming toward her look more like monsters than humans.

She wretches herself away from the wall and runs.

* * *

Ty can't really explain how he knows, only that he does and he needs to go, _now._ He nudges Evita and she moves out of his lap, scrunching her eyebrows at him. He searches frantically for his phone and sneakers, the feeling morphing into something almost painful.

"You okay?" Evita says, reaching for him.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry. I just – I gotta go."

"Again?" The softness of her voice makes him freeze and look her in the eyes. There's a hint of a smile on her lips, almost resigned, but her eyes look sad. "Do your thing, babe." She says with a wave of her hand.

Ty gives her an apologetic look, leaning in to cup her face as he kisses her. "You're amazing."

"I know." She shoves him, her grin widening. "Now get out of here."

"I'll make it up to you!" He calls over his shoulder as he's sprinting out the door.

He keeps running down the street as he unzips his backpack and pulls out Billy's cloak. He's fumbling to get it over his shoulders as he ducks onto a side street, beyond the reach of the street lights. The hood cuts off his peripheral vision, making it a little easier to focus.

 _Gotta find Tandy. Gotta find Tandy._

Shit, how does he do that? He's never purposefully traveled somewhere he doesn't know before. Will this even work?

 _Just think about Tandy. Think about her in trouble. Think about how she needs you._

He imagines her fighting for her life, faceless goons ganging up on her. The thought sends his heart racing, but when he cracks open his eyes, he hasn't moved.

 _Get it together, Ty! She needs you!_

He nearly growls in frustration, squeezing his eyes shut and curling his fists into his cloak.

 _Think about Tandy. Think about Tandy. Think about Tandy._

He thinks about her hair, of all things. Last he'd seen her, it had been braided into pigtails. The look was so juxtaposed by her devious personality; it's almost funny. He thinks about the ratty sneakers that she always wears, the drawings on the toes he's never close enough to make out. He thinks about her laugh, her smile; not the practiced smile she can throw on at the drop of a dime, her real smile. It's always hesitant, like she's surprised she still can.

The familiar wave of sensation washes over Tyrone and he lets it carry him. He's floating weightlessly until his feet settle onto solid ground again. Salty air fills his lungs. He's somewhere by the water. People are shouting somewhere in the distance. He opens his eyes and turns toward the sound.

Somethings crashes into him, pushing him back a few steps. They tumble to the ground with a groan of pain and Ty realizes with horror that it's Tandy.

" _Shit,"_ he spits as he kneels beside her, careful not to touch any exposed skin. "Tandy, what happened?"

She blinks at him slowly, clearly straining to focus on him. There's blood in her hair and he has to stop himself from taking her face in his hands.

"Ty? How did..." she trails off, head turning lazily from side to side.

 _Shit, shit, shit._

"Come on," he tries to hoist her up, his arm around her waist, "I'm getting you out of here."

She leaning heavily against him, head bobbing as she fights of unconsciousness, when two men come around the corner in a sprint. They skid to a halt and raise their guns in a fluid motion that stops Tyrone's heart. Without thinking, he throws himself around Tandy so that she's shielded by his body, his cloak folding around them.

He hears the gunshots echo as his feet leave the ground and everything goes dark.

* * *

Tandy thinks she's dead for a moment. She's blind and weightless and she thinks it makes sense that this is what death feels like. A golden gate in the clouds with angels flying around always sounded like bullshit – not that heaven would want her, anyway.

In another moment she thinks she's drowning. Dark waves lap against her body and her lungs scream for oxygen. Her feet touch down and she imagines it's the ocean floor, then suddenly there is light and sound and _air._ She takes in as much as she can and nearly chokes.

Someone's saying, "Hey, hey, hey. Tandy, it's okay." There's a steadying presence around her waist, but her vision is still swimming. "Tandy, look at me."

The weight moves to her shoulders, digging into her aching muscles and she grimaces. Ty's face slowly comes into focus, his wide-eyes frantic.

He must not like what he sees. "Shit." He looks around, locking onto something behind her. "We're on Pryce Avenue. We're not far from my house, come on." His arm is around her again, pulling her forward. The motion makes her sick. He's rambling now. "Don't worry. It's gonna be okay, just hang on." Has he ever sounded this afraid? "My parents will be home. They'll get you to a hospital."

Something pushes through the grog in her mind: a red, pulsing danger sign.

" _No."_ The word sounds as if it's clawed its way out of her.

Ty's step falters. "What?"

"No hospital." She strains, her fingers curling violently in his shirt. "Promise me, Ty. No hospital. Promise me."

If he answers, she doesn't catch it as the world fades out and a different darkness takes her.


	2. Chapter 2

Tyrone has been so focused on getting Tandy to his house that he forgot to actually come up with a plan. His parents are home which would be fine except he's wearing Billy's cloak and there's a bleeding, unconscious girl in his arms. _Shit._

He doesn't stop, knowing all of this will become a hundred times worse if any of the neighbors see him. Once he makes it to the front yard, he wrangles off his cloak and toes it into a bush. It pains him to leave it there, but there's only so much he's going to be able to explain away to his parents. It takes some skill to open his front door with Tandy in his arms, but he manages. Without closing it behind him, he speeds into the living room where his mother sits with her back to him.

"Baby what are you doing home?" she says, putting down her book. "I thought you and – _oh my God!_ "

Adina jolts off of the couch but doesn't approach them. Her mouth and eyes are wide in horror and Ty doesn't want to know what he looks like.

"Mom, I –"

"Di, what's going on?" His father says coming out of the kitchen. He freezes. "What the hell?"

"Mom, Dad, I know this looks really bad. This is Tandy. She's my friend. She was in a fight. She needs help."

Otis is still sputtering when Adina steels her face into something fierce.

"Set her on the couch, Tyrone. Keep her head elevated. I'll get towels."

"I'll get ice." His dad says, and they scatter, just like that.

Ty's stunned for a minute before he comes back to himself and hurries to the couch. He strains to get Tandy in a good position without touching her skin. Now that they're in better light, he can see how pale she is. The gash along her temple is monstrous and the fact that he can't do anything about it is killing him. Luckily Adina returns, gingerly easing a towel under Tandy's head and pressing the other against her cut.

Tyrone shifts awkwardly, knowing he's in the way but unable to make himself leave. He settles for sitting on the edge of the couch, holding onto Tandy's elbow while his mother looks her over.

"Oh God," she says, softer but no less aghast. "How did this happen?"

Ty swallows. What had Tandy said about lies? Something like _the best lies have truth in them_. He's stammering for an answer when his father comes back with a pack of ice wrapped in cloth. Adina takes it and replaces the towel against Tandy's head. She whimpers when it touches her and Ty thinks he may snap in half.

Otis is pacing the length of the living room, his movements jagged and on-edge. "You better start explaining yourself, boy. I thought you were on a date with Evita."

"I was. Tandy… called me." That wasn't a totally lie, was it? His powers always brought him to her when he needed it, whether he understood why or not. Maybe she'd done the same; called him when she needed him the most. Quickly, he adds, "She was in trouble."

His father's eyes turn dark. "What kind of trouble?"

 _Trying to reveal a major conspiracy that's responsible for the defamation of her father._

"These guys have been bothering her." Ty remembers the first night they'd spent in the church, when she'd told him about the man who almost… the thought gets his blood boiling. "I think she went out with one of them and now the prick feels like she owes him."

There is a grave silence that settles over the room. Otis looks between him and his mother, then sighs heavily.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Ty says immediately, "Dad, I'm fine, really." When he turns, Adina's eyes are glimmering and he knows what she's thinking. "I promise, I'm fine."

She nods like they've come to an understanding and focusses back on Tandy. "This looks bad. We should take her to the hospital."

"No!" he says, too fast and too loud. His parents flinch. "Sorry, just… you can't. Tandy…" _shit, shit, shit, shit,_ "Tandy's afraid of hospitals."

 _Nice one, choir boy_ , Tandy mocks in his head.

His mother raises a skeptical eyebrow. "Baby, she needs a doctor to look at this."

"Mom, please. She'll hate me if she wakes up in a hospital room." _Totally true._ "Please."

Adina presses her lips together, studying him carefully. She glances back at Otis whose expression says that it's her call. Exhaling through her nose, she straightens her spine and sets her shoulders.

"I have a friend. She's not on call tonight. I'll see if she can come over."

* * *

Tandy isn't sure how long she's been wandering around this field. The sun is so bright it's nearly white and the grass is lusher than she's ever seen. When she looks up again, there are two chairs sitting at the far end of the field.

As she draws closer she can make out two people, a man and a woman. They don't react as she stands before them and she knows they can't see her. Their hands are clasped, their smiles wide and bursting. Tandy feels drawn to the woman in a way she can't explain.

"Tyrone Johnson." A voice rings out.

Tandy whips around to see a stage, Tyrone at its far edge, grinning as he walks toward the podium in the center. He's wearing a cap and gown and his face looks… different. Older, with the barest hint of facial hair lining his jaw. He looks good.

The man at the podium gives him a diploma and shakes his hand. Tandy turns back toward the couple and sees nothing but joy on their faces. The woman lets tears flow freely down her face, pressing a hand to her heart as if this all may become too much. Tandy reaches out to touch her and is overwhelmed by light. She blinks rapidly until everything comes back into focus.

She's in a room, small but ornately decorated. There's a floor length mirror in the corner. The older version of Tyrone stands before it in a suit. The woman is beside him, wearing a beautiful dress and that same joyous smile.

Ty fidgets with his collar. "How do I look, Mom?"

"Like a prince." Ty rolls his eyes. "I'm serious. She's a lucky girl."

"I guess."

His mother busies herself smoothing an imaginary wrinkle on his jacket. Her expression turns down, briefly.

"Are you happy, baby?" she asks hesitantly.

Ty smiles wider than Tandy's ever seen him and it gets her heart racing. "Yeah, Mom. I'm really _really_ happy."

"I love you."

"I love you, too." He wraps his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. "I'm gonna call you twice a week. No, three times!"

She chuckles. "Sure you are."

"I mean it!"

Their laughter fades as the light takes over again, and Tandy's left feeling more content than she has in years.

* * *

Tyrone can hear his mother in the kitchen, trying to convince her friend why she should abandon a romantic evening with her partner to stitch up a random teenager. He tries to focus on that – and on being gentle as he holds the icepack against Tandy's head – instead of the holes his father is burning into the back of his skull. .

"You know the guy that did this?"

"No."

"You know any of his buddies?"

"No, Dad."

"Where'd all of this go down?"

Tyrone sighs, mulling over another lie when Tandy moans and shifts her head. He has to avoid her hand as she blindly reaches out, but he grips her forearm to let her know he's there.

Her eyes open just a fraction and she croaks, "Ty?"

"Hey." He says, voice unexpectedly heavy. He clears his throat. "How you feeling?" She lets out a theatrical groan that tugs at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, that's about as good as you look."

"Asshole." She mutters and gives him a small, bleary-eyed smile. Her gaze travels lazily around the room until she spots his dad.

"Tandy, this is my dad, Otis Johnson. Dad, this is Tandy Bowen."

She tucks her chin almost shyly against her chest. "Hi, Mr. Johnson."

"Miss Tandy." His father nods, eyes remaining stern. "You scared us quite a bit."

"Sorry."

Adina struts back into the room, shutting off the phone with an audible _click._ "Well, Candice said she'll do it, but we owe her dinner. Should be here in fifteen." She blinks at Tandy like she's just noticed her. "Oh, you're up. Good, that's a good sign. I'm Tyrone's mother, Adina."

Tandy stares at her for a moment longer than normal and says – a bit awed, "Nice to meet you."

The Johnsons look at one another, and that _good sign_ from earlier is forgotten.

"You're going to have a decent bruise," Otis says. "and that cut's probably going to need stitches."

"I'll be fine." Tandy says quickly and tries to sit up. "Thank you for –"

She sways a bit and Ty catches her shoulders. "Hey, Tan, you've got to take it easy."

"I'm fine, Ty." She keeps pushing, legs struggling to help her stand. "It's just a scratch." But she's blinking slowly as she says it.

Tyrone opens his mouth to protest, but Adina beats him to it. "Sit down, young lady. You're not going anywhere until a doctor checks you out."

Tandy's expression sobers instantly, her wide eyes locking onto Ty.

"Don't worry." Otis chimes in. "Tyrone already told us about your fear of hospitals. We've called in a friend to come take a look at you."

Tyrone tries to communicate psychically, _play along._ Tandy narrows her eyes at him before turning back to his parents.

"You guys really don't have to –" but one mom-look from Adina shuts her down, "Thank you."

Satisfied, Adina says to Otis, "Will you grab some ibuprofen and a glass of water for Tandy, honey?"

"Sure."

He leaves and Ty takes the opportunity to move fully beside Tandy on the couch. He's still holding the icepack to her head, keeping his touch as gentle as possible. She gives him an appreciative smile before opening her hand and carefully taking the icepack from him.

"Do you remember what happened, Tandy?" Adina asks, hesitantly.

Ty says quickly, "I told her about those guys that have been bothering you."

Even with a concussion, Tandy doesn't miss a beat. "Right, yeah it was pretty scary. This guy's been bugging me for a while but he's never followed me before, especially not with all his frat buddies behind him."

Adina looks at the floor before she can meet Tandy's eyes. "Did any of them…?"

Ty watches her face closely. It's a "blink and you miss it" kind of thing. Her expression doesn't change, and yet he can sense something churning beneath the surface; something vulnerable.

"No, nothing like that, Mrs. Johnson." She says, voice hollow. "They just roughed me up and left me there. That's when I called Ty."

She turns to him and the look in her eyes is so intense Tyrone nearly shrinks away from it. He doesn't, though, and gives her arm a reassuring squeeze.

"Can you identify any of them? You could press charges –"

"They're rich white boys with mommies and daddies in high places. I don't see much of a point."

Otis returns with the medicine and water and they all silently agree to drop it. Instead, Adina tries to lighten the mood. Her smile would probably seem genuine to anyone that didn't know her, but Ty can tell she's uncomfortable.

"So, Tandy, do you go to school with Tyrone?"

"No, ma'am. We met through a mutual friend. You know Evita?"

"Fusilier?"

"Yeah, we met at a party at her place."

Otis interjects. "Why you scared of hospitals?"

Ty feels all of the blood leave his face. " _Dad."_

"It's a legitimate question, son." He says, even though Adina's shooting him a disapproving look.

"It's fine." Tandy puts her hand on Tyrone's thigh. They both seem to realize that at the same time and she quickly retracts it. "Um, anyway… my dad had cancer. He passed away when I was nine."

"Oh, sweetie," Adina gasps.

"It's okay. It happened a long time ago." Tandy swallows and looks down at her hands. "He was sick for a really long time. I think I remember him being in the hospital more than I do him being at home. When he died I just… I don't know, I just couldn't set foot in another hospital. Not again."

His dad's eyes have softened and his mother's are brimming with tears. Ty just gapes at her. _How the hell is she_ this _good at lying?_

* * *

Honestly, Tandy's a little impressed with Tyrone. The "fear of hospitals" thing is good. By now he's probably put together her actual reasons for avoiding it: they'd contact her mother, she has zero insurance, and never mind the risk of someone identifying her. No, hospitals aren't an option.

She's unsure whether or not it's lucky that Mrs. Johnson called in her doctor friend. Tandy may not be afraid of hospitals, but doctors still make her uncomfortable. Mom had made her see at least a dozen – just after the ridge explosion but before Roxxon had swooped in and taken everything from them. It was weeks of the same "follow the light" and "how many fingers am I holding up," just like Dr. Burk is making her do right now.

"Alright, Tandy, your pupils are dilating correctly, which is a good sign. Now I'm going to test your memory."

 _What's the last thing your father said before the crash? How did you escape the car? How did you wind up on that beach?_

"Sounds good." She says hollowly.

"What day is it?"

"Friday."

"What's your mother's name?"

"Melissa."

"Where do you live?"

Where does she live? Which answer is better: an abandoned church or the shit hole her mom calls a house?

"Ridgeway Estates." She says, thinking of a neighborhood that's upscale but not too affluent so they won't get suspicious.

Her answer must take too long, though, because Dr. Burk's eyebrows scrunch in a worried line. She must have mistook Tandy's delay as an effect of the concussion. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a pair of latex gloves.

"Let me take a look at that cut."

Tandy tries to stare at the floor as Dr. Burk disinfects the wound, but she can feel Tyrone's eyes on her. Eventually she caves and looks up. He's hovering at the other end of the coffee table like he's judging the doctor's work. It makes Tandy smile despite herself.

"I never thanked you, Ty." She says as if they're the only two people in the room.

Maybe her filters aren't as strong as they should be, but hey, she _is_ concussed. Ty looks surprised to hear her voice and meets her gaze with wide eyes.

She shrugs one shoulder. "Sorry I ruined date night."

He shakes his head, just barely, and she can practically hear him drawl _I can't even, with you._

Instead he says, "It's cool. You got me out of having to finish Death Blade IV."

"Seriously? You hate horror movies."

"I don't hate them, they just aren't my thing."

"But being a big ol' chicken is."

"Woman, I swear –"

"If I may interrupt." Dr. Burk says, clearing her throat. "Tandy, I'm going to put some lidocaine on your head to numb it and then apply these butterfly stitches, okay?"

"Definitely okay with the numbing part." She quips.

As Dr. Burk works, she explains, "The damage is mostly superficial, meaning while the wound was bleeding heavily, it seems that you haven't done any severe damage. Although I would still recommend an MRI, just to be safe."

 _Sure, you paying for one_? Tandy thinks bitterly.

Dr. Burk continues, "Whatever got you into this mess – and I told Adina I don't want to know – you can't be doing that again. The cut isn't bad, but a concussion is no joke. You need to rest and take it easy for the next few weeks."

"Yes, ma'am." Tandy says, and she sees Ty narrow his eyes.

"Someone should definitely observe you through the night just to make sure nothing changes."

"No problem."

With a huff, Dr. Burk gathers her tools back into her bag and stands up. "Adina," she nods at Mrs. Johnson, "Otis. Always a pleasure. Good to see you again, Tyrone."

"You too, Doc." He says, but his eyes stay trained on Tandy. The attention is starting to make her itch.

"Well I'm off to try and salvage date night with my wife. Y'all stay out of trouble."

"Will do." Otis says as Adina sees Dr. Burk to the door.

Ty follows them, much to Tandy's dismay, and she's left alone in the living room with a very unhappy looking Mr. Johnson.

* * *

Tyrone can barely wait until the front door is shut before whispering to his mother. "Can Tandy spend the night?"

Adina stares like he's lost his mind. "What?"

"Her mom is out of town." He says quickly. These lies are coming faster and faster and he isn't sure how to feel about that. "You heard Dr. Burk. Someone needs to be watching her and that won't happen if she goes home by herself." He can see the reservation in her face when he all but begs, "Mom, _please._ "

He holds his breath until Adina sighs and walks back into the living room, saving Tandy from what looks like a monstrous stare-down.

"Tandy, we'd like you to spend the night." She says, all professional.

Ty doesn't know who looks more shocked: Tandy or his dad.

"Look I really appreciate everything you've done for me," Tandy says, slowly rising from the couch, "but I'm not really comfortable with –"

"I understand that this must seem very sudden, dear, but Tyrone mentioned that your mother is out of town and there will be no one at home to check up on you."

Tandy shoots him a look of pure murder but Ty takes it in stride. He moves toward the couch, standing as close as he dares.

"Tandy, please?" his voice is painfully honest.

She stares at him for second before averting her eyes, grumbling under her breath, " _Fine."_


	3. Chapter 3

Ty's a bit giddy for all of three seconds before his mother lets out a heavy sigh. She pinches the bridge of her nose like she's clinging to her sanity.

"Well," she says, heading toward the kitchen, "I need a drink. Honey?"

"Red or white?" Otis follows her.

Adina laughs. "Oh no, we're going straight to the whiskey. Tandy, can I get you anything? Juice? Tea – decaf, of course. Hot chocolate?" Tandy's ears literally perk up and Ty bites his lip to keep from laughing. Adina grins. "I'll put the kettle on."

When his parents disappear, Tyrone quirks an eyebrow at Tandy. "What are you, ten?"

She narrows her eyes defiantly. "Don't act like you're too cool for hot chocolate, choir boy." He rolls his eyes. Giving the room a once-over, Tandy probes, " _So,_ you gonna give me a house tour or what?"

"Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Because you're nosy as hell."

Her smirk is wicked as she pushes herself up on her toes, invading his space. "Afraid I'll find your porn magazines?"

" _Oh my God_."

"Come on." She wanders around the coffee table, idly fingering the contents on top. "Show me something cool."

"Like what?"

It's her turn to roll her eyes. "You tell me."

The first thing that comes to mind is to show her the box where he's kept her ballet slipper all these years. But no, that's a level of creep that he's not ready to own up to. Instead he motions for her to follow him into the basement. Along the far wall is the sole reason he's never been allowed to roughhouse down here: his parents' record collection.

"Dude," Tandy breathes, "you guys have a phonograph?"

"Yeah, we got it when my grandfather moved into assisted living."

She's at the record case before he even finishes, practically vibrating with excitement. Her eyes scan over every title hungrily. She picks up an old jazz record and runs her hand along the cover.

"This is sick." She says, beaming at him, and he wants to smile, wants to be in the moment with her, but all he can see is the purple skin marring her temple and the dried blood in her hair.

His palms itch with the desire to reach out, but his fists stay firmly at his sides. He shifts awkwardly on his feet, mulling over how to best approach the subject.

"Did you find anything out, you know, before everything hit the fan?"

Her smile falls and she shrugs. "Not much. There's a van that's been making the same rounds every night for the past few weeks." She keeps looking through the records like this isn't even worth her full attention. "They keep loading something in from the warehouse and moving it to a second location. Figure I'll follow the van and –"

"What?" he barks, startling her, "You're going to keep following these people after what happened tonight?" She stares at him blankly as if it's most obvious thing in the world. Tyrone lets out a breath of disbelief. "Tandy, what if I hadn't been there?"

She closes her eyes, sighing, "Ty –"

"You could have died!" His voice cracks on the last word like he can't physically bear to say it.

She blinks at him and he feels utterly ridiculous but he also doesn't care. How can she be so unconcerned with her own safety? How can she act like it doesn't matter – like her life doesn't matter? He wants to convince her that it does, wants her to care, but there's a petulant voice in his head screaming _what about me? I don't want to watch anyone else die! Why doesn't that matter to you?_

Tandy is quiet for a long moment, ultimately avoiding his question with one of her own. "How did you find me? How did you even know that I was in trouble?"

Ty shakes his head. "I don't know, I just – I just felt it. It was like this pain. Then to find you I just…" he shrugs, "I don't know, I just thought of you."

Tandy nods considerately. She bites her lip, looking up at him through her eyelashes. "What did you think about?"

It stuns him how fast she can change the entire mood of a room. His frustration immediately gives way to something else as heat blooms in his cheeks. "For real?"

Her eyebrows quirk innocently. "Just a question."

He could lie. He probably should, or turn it into a joke. For some reason he tells her the truth. "Your hair." She looks skeptical. "Last time I saw you it was in braids."

"That's dumb." She says, scrunching her nose.

He chuckles. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

Her eyes take on a softness he hadn't been expecting as she inches closer to him. "What else did you think about?"

"How do you know that wasn't it?"

She doesn't budge. "What else?"

Tyrone sighs. "Those ratchet sneakers you always wear." She frowns comically. He grins, meeting her eyes when he says, "Your smile."

He's probably imagining the blush the spreads across her cheeks but he doesn't get the chance to confirm it before Adina calls from upstairs, "Cocoa's ready, guys."

When they enter the kitchen, Otis and Adina are both nursing half-empty glasses of whiskey. At the end of the counter sit two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, one of them being shaped like a basketball with Tyrone's name on it. Tandy raises her eyebrow but Ty ignores her in favor of getting the whipped cream out of the fridge. She pushes the mugs toward him and he puts a little extra in hers, then tilts his head back and sprays some into his mouth.

"Tyrone." Adina chides. He offers a garbled, full-mouthed apology that makes Tandy laugh. Adina takes another swig before saying, "So dear, tell us about yourself." Her tone is casual, but Otis' calculating eyes make it clear: this is a full-blown parental interrogation.

To her credit, Tandy doesn't seem nervous in the slightest. "Not much to know, honestly." She launches into a story that's sort of true but bullshit enough that Ty wants to laugh.

While his parents are occupied he pulls out his phone a sends a quick text to Evita.

SORRY FOR BOLTING. GOT EVERYTHING TAKEN CARE OF.

 _GOOD. HOW'S CRAZY WHITE GIRL?_

HOW'D YOU KNOW IT WAS ABOUT TANDY?

 _BECAUSE YOU'RE THE DIVINE PAIRING, DUMBY. SHE OK?_

Ty hesitates to answer. Sometimes he thinks Tandy's never really okay, she's just good at pretending to be. He simply replies,

YEAH. SHE'S GOOD.

Adina's laugh brings him back into the moment. It's a loud, guttural laugh that she only ever makes when she's in legitimate hysterics. Even his dad has a bemused smirk on his face. Tandy locks eyes with Ty and shoots him a wink, sipping her cocoa triumphantly. He smiles, but it feels weighted. Adina picks up the conversation, probably something embarrassing about his adolescent years. Ty can barely hear. His eyes stay tethered to Tandy, trying to sort out the real from the pretend.

* * *

The Johnson's guest bathroom is bigger than her mom's kitchen and Tandy tries really hard not to be bitter about it. This is Tyrone, after all. She knows that living in a fancy house doesn't mean his life's been easy, but _God damn_ , how many decorative hand towels and artisanal soaps does one family need?

She turns the faucet on and starts filling the bathtub, dumping in every kind of bubble bath available. Undressing is a slow, painstaking process, her muscles screaming in protest. The vanity mirror offers her three different angles to view herself from and none of them are flattering. Her right shoulder – where she'd been slammed against the storage crate – is the same sickening display of purple and blue as her forehead. She runs a tentative finger along her temple at hisses when even the gentle touch makes it ache. Washing the blood out of her hair is going to suck.

Tandy takes a deep breath, eyes running over her bruised and bloodied form. The voice in her head whispers _yes, this is what you're supposed to look like: as damaged and ugly on the outside as you are on the inside._ She thinks of herself in all those stolen dresses and glittering accessories. _That's not the real you. You're a liar. A junkie. This is the real you._

A knock on the door keeps her from spiraling any further.

"Just a sec." She says, grabbing a towel off the rack and tucking it around herself.

She opens the door and nearly chortles as Tyrone's eyes go wide and immediately lock onto the floor.

"I… sorry I just… my mom wanted me to… uh, she said she'd wash your clothes while you're in the bath and uh… here." He thrusts a floral pajama set into her hands. "Those are for you… for tonight. They're Mom's but she said you can borrow them."

He's beet-red by the time he finishes and Tandy can't help but snigger. "Deep breaths, Ty. Deep breaths." He finally meets her gaze, if only to glare at her. "I'll have to thank her, and your dad. They've both been wonderful."

Ty grins reluctantly. "Yeah, they're alright."

Tandy soaks in his smile for a second longer before setting the pajamas on the edge of the sink and turning to grab her hoodie and jeans off the floor.

Ty gasps. " _Shit_ , Tandy."

There's a tingling sensation in her shoulder blade and a flash of black and white. She whips around to see Ty's outstretched hand, hovering in mid-air like he's shell shocked. He slowly realizes what he's done and lowers his arm.

"What happened to you?" he says, aghast.

"What do you mean?"

"Your shoulder."

Tandy huffs. He'd scared the daylights out of her over _that_? "It was the same dude that gave me a concussion. Threw me up against a wall and started strangling me." She thinks if his eyes get any wider, he may actually hurt himself, so she quickly adds, "Ty, it was fine. I popped out one of these babies." She produces a dagger with her free hand. "And bada-bing bada-boom, we're all good."

He gapes at her. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Her heart drops into her stomach. "How can you be so cool about this?"

Heat flares in her palm and she digs her fingernails into her skin to keep it from igniting. She moves close enough for him to feel the venom in her words. "I'm willing to risk a few bruises if it means getting justice for my dad."

Ty doesn't back down, instead taking a step closer, his face terrifyingly open. "But what if it kills you, Tandy?" Her fire nearly dies at the desperation in his voice. "Then your dad will still be seen as a failure and you'll just be _gone_." He pauses like he wants that word to sink in. "Who benefits from that?"

Her instincts kick in and she nearly spits _what do you care_? But even in the throes of her anger, she knows that isn't fair. Tyrone's proven to be the best friend she's ever had. She knows he cares. She also knows he'll be okay without her. He's got Evita and his parents. He's got a _future._

What does Tandy have? A prescription drug addiction and a worn out hoodie? The only thing in her life that matters is her father's memory, and Roxxon is trying to destroy it. How can Ty not get that? After all they've been through, how can he still not understand what's at stake here?

The spark of fury returns and she surrenders to it. "You were willing to kill someone to avenge your brother. You were willing to become a drug runner." He looks away but she won't let him off that easily. She steps even closer until her skin is glowing and she can feel his energy pulsing around her. His head snaps up and he jolts backward but she refuses to lose ground. "Stop acting like you're so much better than me."

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are." Her voice cracks, eyes stinging. "You think I'm crazy for going after Roxxon. I can see it in your face every time I bring it up. You act like this thing you're doing with Detective O'Reilly is somehow different. Well guess what, Tyrone: it's not. So you can drop this "holier than thou" attitude because it's really starting to piss me off." Tears spill down her cheeks and she violently wipes them away, shoving her clothes into Tyrone's chest. "Be careful with the hoodie."

She pivots on her heel to shut off the faucet. He's gone when she turns back around.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite Tandy's request, Ty hurls her clothes into the washing machine without the slightest bit of care. Adina eyes him reproachfully.

"Tyrone, there's blood on those."

"Yeah?"

"You need to soak them before you put them through the wash."

Ty blows a frustrated breath through his nose, body riddled with tension. Adina sidesteps him and reaches into the drum, setting the clothes in the sink.

"Something happen with Tandy?" She asks hesitantly.

 _There's always something happening with Tandy._ "Nah, Mom, she's fine. I'm just…" _I'm pissed because I had to skip out on my girlfriend to rescue my best friend who can't be bothered to give a shit about her own life. I'm pissed because every time I try to be a good friend, she's throws it back in my face. I'm pissed because I watched Billy die – she_ knows _I watched Billy die – and that doesn't seem to matter at all to her._ "It's been a long day."

Adina gives him that sad look he can't stomach sometimes and squeezes his arm. "Go rest, baby."

Ty shakes the sense back into his head. "No way, I gotta help you with this."

"I've been getting stains out of clothes since before you were born." She says with a shove. "Get out of here."

He stands watching her a moment before she gives an impartial wave and he finally heads back upstairs. Ty shuts the door to his bedroom and listens to make sure his dad is still occupied in their room. When he hears nothing, Ty bows his head and closes his eyes, imagining himself in the front yard.

His stomach _woops_ as he goes weightless, then settles when his feet reconnect with the ground. He roots through the bushes for a moment before finding his cloak. Ty tucks it neatly under his arm and phases back into his room.

He hardly takes a breath before his mother's voice is echoing up the stairs. " _Tyrone Anthony Johnson."_

Cold panic shoots through him, his pulse accelerating with the sound of her pounding footsteps. He throws the cloak into the corner a second before his door flies open. Adina holds Tandy's hoodie in a vice grip, so tight her knuckles pale and her arms shake. The devastation in her eyes frightens Ty in a way he doesn't understand.

"Mama?" He murmurs. He hasn't called her that since he was eight.

"What," she seethes, "is that girl doing with my baby's hoodie?"

Tyrone feels the cogs in his head stop turning. "What?"

" _Why does that girl have my son's hoodie?_ " she booms, tears escaping. Otis comes barreling into the room, but can't get a word in before Adina's crossed the floor to Ty, thrusting the hoodie in his face. "Look, _look_!" She shakes the left sleeve furiously. "It's navy blue thread. It doesn't match." Her eyes take on a crazed, far off look. "You two were at the park and Billy ripped his sleeve on the playground. I told him I'd have to get black thread to fix it and he said not to worry, to just use what I had. This is _his_ jacket, Tyrone."

She shoves it into his hands and Ty nearly drops it. His body must realize the truth before his brain does because he's trembling. He kneads the fabric between his fingers and everything else fades to the periphery of his attention. It's smaller than he remembers, almost with a start. When he was young, Ty would sneak into Billy's room while he was at work and put it on. He'd lay on the floor, his arms stretched out wide, and he'd imagine growing into it one day.

Adina cuts through the haze in his mind, gesturing angrily behind her. "Why does _that girl_ have it?"

Ty stutters like he can't fathom who she's talking about, but it comes back after a minute. _Tandy_. All this time, Tyrone thought Billy's hoodie was floating aimlessly somewhere in Lake Borgne. He thought it was gone for good, just like his brother. But it had been with Tandy.

Otis approaches him wearily, his hands outstretched. Tyrone passes him the hoodie and his father holds it close to his chest.

He's breathing heavily, not looking at Ty when he says. "Explain this."

Explain this? Shit, Tyrone doesn't understand it. Until a few months ago, he thought he was alone on that beach. _The beach_ … Tandy must have taken the hoodie from the beach. White hot indignity flares up in him – she'd stolen his hoodie, left him there alone! – but it dissipates just as quickly. They'd been kids, kids that just went through absolute hell. He wasn't going to blame her for anything she did then. Still, in the entire time they'd known each other, she hadn't said a word. After everything he'd told her about Billy – how much he missed him – she hadn't even thought to mention it.

" _Tyrone_."

His parents are clutching the hoodie between them like they're adrift and it's the only thing keeping them together. Ty swallows and tries to make his voice steadier than he feels.

"Do you remember the day I came home," he says slowly, "after Billy died? I said I woke up on the beach."

His mother sucks in a breath. "You dove into Lake Borgne after your brother. We know."

Ty nods. "That dance shoe I found? That was Tandy's." They stare at him blankly. "She was there on the beach, too." Once he says it, every lie of the evening seems to rise up in his throat and burst out. "She's not really scared of hospitals. She's doesn't have any insurance. That's why she didn't want to go. And her dad didn't die of cancer. He died in an accident off of Paris Road Bridge, the same night Billy died. Tandy was in the car when it went off the road into Lake Borgne. That's how she ended up on the beach."

His parents gape at him, struck dumb. Ty feels like a balloon that's been deflated, totally boneless. It feels good, though, for them to know. There's so much of his life that he's had to keep from them recently. He's glad this isn't another thing between them.

Adina's the first to recover, piercing Ty with a fierce stare. "You saw her on the beach with you?"

"No, she woke up before I did."

"Then how do you know any of that's true? How do you know it's not some lie?"

"I just know, Mom." He says immediately. "Trust me, please."

He watches her struggle to accept it. Taking a step closer, Ty lays his hands overtop theirs. He swallows back a flood of emotion and looks them both in the eye, willing them to believe him. Otis holds his gaze a moment before marveling again at the hoodie.

"It's unbelievable." He says with wonder. "You two ending up on that beach together."

Ty can't help but laugh. "Yeah, Dad, that's an understatement." _Have I mentioned that I can teleport and see into people's fears?_

Otis nods like they've made some sort of agreement and wraps his arm around Adina. She smiles reluctantly, leaning into him. She reaches for Ty and he lets her pull him into their arms, the hoodie pressed close between them.

Tandy Bowen is, by no means, hiding in the Johnson's guest bedroom. She has not been nervously braiding and unbraiding her hair for the last half hour, even though it only makes her migraine worse. She is not afraid to open the door and see the hurt on Tyrone's face, the disgust in his parents' eyes.

Admittedly, it's occurred to her more than once to sneak out the window, but she can't run off in Adina's daisy printed pajamas. Plus, she's still sore and concussed and exhausted, so here she sits. The voice sneers _well it was fun while it lasted, wasn't it? Someone who calls you, someone who's willing to put up with you? Way to fuck it up._

Nausea roils in her stomach, but Tandy swallows it down. Closing her eyes, she turns her palm out in front of her and feels the heat in her skin ignite. She turns the dagger idly in her hand, then lays back on the bed, holding it against her chest. It's a weapon, she understands, but for some reason it calms her. Ty had talked about a guardian angel, something watching over him, protecting him. Tandy doesn't think she has one, even if they do exist, but she has this.

A knock on the door startles her and the dagger dissipates into smoke. She sits up too fast and groans as her head throbs in protest. Ty opens the door slowly, brows furrowed with concern.

"You okay?"

Tandy meets his eyes despite the shiver it sends down her spine. "Yeah."

She wishes he'd just get it over with, tell her what she knows is coming, but he just stands there waiting.

"Can I come in?"

She shrugs. "What if I say no?"

He mimics her shrug, feigning nonchalance. "I'd say you're in my house and you stole my hoodie so that's kind of unfair."

 _Oh, so we are doing this._ She tries to steel her expression and stare him down, but the lack of anger in his eyes throws her off. He closes the door behind him and drifts closer, still keeping a respectable distance. Tandy slides of the bed and prays that her legs won't give out when she tries to stand.

"I know I should have given it back, but I didn't." She throws the words like punches, hoping one of them will smack that damn look off his face. "I didn't give it back because I didn't want to."

 _Because you're vial,_ the voice whispers. _You're a thief, a disease. Because you–_

"Because you're a screwed up bitch, right? You're a selfish bitch who doesn't care about anyone but herself?" Ty doesn't raise his voice, but his eyes are pleading. "Keep spouting that crap, Tandy, and I'm gonna start believing it."

She feels helpless as he looks at her, doesn't know what she can say that will satisfy him. He waits another moment for her to figure it out, unable to hide the disappointment in his eyes when she doesn't. He turns away, fingers reaching for the door when the words rip themselves from her throat.

"I felt safe." She doesn't mean to yell, sinks her teeth into her bottom lip to try and regain some control. Then Ty pivots to face her and it vanishes. "I didn't want to give it back because it made me feel safe." She inhales deeply through her mouth because it's suddenly very hard to take in air. "Through… through losing our house and Mom losing her job and… and everything after it just made me feel less afraid. I wasn't ready to give that up."

She ducks her head because she's _dangerously_ close to ugly crying and that's not a humiliation she needs to add to the evening. Ty's frozen in place and she's torn between wanting him gone and wanting to run to him.

They stand in silence for a long time before Ty says, "I know you're not crazy." Her brows knit in confusion before realizing what he's talking about. He goes on. "I'm sorry for making you feel like that, and I'm sorry for being a hypocrite." He takes a step closer, then looks at her as if to make sure that's okay. She doesn't move so he takes another. "You're right, though. I don't like any of this Roxxon stuff, and it's not because your family doesn't deserve justice, Tandy. It's just… I'm scared…"

She watches him battle with the words. Sinking back onto the bed, she folds her legs into a pretzel and pats the space beside her. It earns a doleful smile from him and he collapses onto the mattress, shifting so that he's on his back. His eyes stay fixed on the ceiling.

"When Duane got shot… it was like watching Billy die all over again."

Tandy's jaw drops. "Ty –"

He sits up quickly, deftly avoid her hand but leaning in close, demanding her full attention. "I can't go through that again, Tandy. Don't _put_ me through that again."

She barely shakes her head. "What do you want from me?"

He looks down and she finds herself thoughtlessly inching closer until her skin is humming at the proximity. Light and darkness flicker around them but he doesn't pull away. When their eyes meet, his are deep and intense, like an ocean she has no hope of navigating.

"Promise me you'll be more careful."

It may be the events of the day finally getting to her. It may be the sensation coursing through her body. It may be his eyes. For whatever reason, she doesn't lie when she says, "I will. I promise."

There's a dense silence that follows and Tandy's almost grateful for the knock on the door. They leap apart, ending the light show just before Adina walks in.

"Your clothes are dry." She marches straight up to Tandy and hands over her clothes, minus Tyrone's hoodie.

Sorrow threatens to overwhelm her, but she forces a smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Johnson." Adina nods once and turns sharply on her heal. Tandy jumps off the bed. "Uh- wait!" She fidgets awkwardly with the clothes in her arms. "I'm sorry for causing your family so much pain."

Adina raises an eyebrow. "Heard that, did you?"

"I heard enough." Tandy swallows. "Enough to know I hurt all of you, and I'm sorry. As soon as I'm changed I'll be out of your hair. I won't bother you again."

Ty launches himself off the bed. "Tan, hold up."

His mother silences his protests with her hand. She regards Tandy mindfully. "I'm not kicking you out, Tandy. You're still concussed."

"But really, it's okay if –"

"No, no. End of discussion." And with that she's gone.

Tandy blinks, a bit star stuck, until she gazes down at the clothes in her hands. Bitterness twists low in her gut.

"I'm sorry." Tyrone says.

"It's fine." She tosses the clothes onto the bed without looking at him. "It's your brother. You guys have every right to his stuff."

Her defenses are starting to rise up again and she can't decide whether or not it's worth fighting them. Ty must be able to see it, must be at as much of a loss as she is, because he starts pacing. Tandy lets a breath out through her nose and closes her eyes, desperately wishing they could switch powers, just for a night. She'd flash herself to some uninhabited beach in Mexico and never look back.

Tyrone stops suddenly, eyes snapping up to meet hers. Whatever internal debate he'd been having must be settled because he looks at her resolutely.

Inclining his head toward the door, he says, "I got something to show you."


	5. Chapter 5

**This is a short little update. Next chapter will be regular word count.**

 **Congrats to all of us for surviving the finale!**

Ty sees this going one of two ways: Tandy will either get super creeped out, or she'll laugh at him. Both those scenarios are better than her retreating back into herself, so it's worth a shot. He opens the door to his bedroom with a dramatic flair and gestures for Tandy to follow him. She circles around the room, eyes skimming over everything.

"What, no Playboy posters?"

Ty shakes his head. "What is with you and porn today?"

She chuckles. "What did you wanna show me?"

Tyrone grins. "Close your eyes."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. Close your damn eyes."

With a sigh, Tandy spreads out on top of his bed like a starfish and closes her eyes. Ty gets on his knees and pulls the shoe box out of its hiding place.

"Hold out your hand. No peeking."

She does as she's told. He can practically see the sarcastic comment she's holding back. The playful quirk of her eyebrow furrows into confusion when he places the ballet slipper in her hand. She runs her thumb across the soft texture, then sits bolt upright.

"Is this –?"

"Yeah."

Her fingers drift over the laces. Ty settles beside her, their shoulders touching.

"My head's spinning." She says breathlessly.

"Yeah, Tan, I think you sat up too fast."

"No." She nudges him. "Well, yeah, but that's not what I mean. You kept it all this time?" He nods. "But you didn't even know me."

Ty shrugs and prays to God she doesn't see the blush warming his cheeks. No way in hell is he admitting that he dreamed of an angel frantically pulling him ashore and leaving behind her ballet slipper.

"I figure… maybe it can help you feel safe, like my brother's hoodie did."

It's not a question, but his voice carries the words uncertainly. Tandy stares at the shoe like it's a memory, then looks up and studies him just as intently. Ty can count on his hands the number of times she's looked this unguarded. It dawns on him then: what she's giving up, what Billy's hoodie meant to her.

"I'm sorry, Tandy." And he is; for all of it, for everything she's been through.

Tandy shakes her head, the corner of her mouth tilting upward. "Stop apologizing, Ty. I told you I understand." She laughs a little to herself. "Although I will say, being on your mom's bad side isn't a lot of fun."

"You're not on her bad side. Tonight's just been really emotional."

Tandy seems to accept that. She leans forward and shoves the point shoe onto her foot, her pinky toe sticking out the side. She wiggles it for effect, making Ty laugh. _Crazy white girl._

She lets the laughter sit between them for a second before admitting, "I saw your mom's hopes, I think, while I was passed out."

Ty's stunned until he thinks it through. "She was taking care of you before Dr. Burk showed up. Must have happened then."

Tandy nods, smiling. "I saw you graduate college. Saw you get married." She nudges him. "You look good with facial hair, by the way." Ty snorts and ducks his head. Tandy plucks the shoe from her foot and gives him an earnest look. "Ty, I know she puts a lot of pressure on you, but she really does just want you to be happy."

His smile falls a little bit – not completely, but it's weighted, now. In truth, he already knows that. Deep down, he knows his parents have always wished the same thing for him and Billy: happiness, security, a good life. Should be a simple dream, but the reality of being a black family in America makes that dream feel more out of reach every day.

Ty clears his throat, his chest suddenly tight. Tandy reaches for him almost reflexively.

"Ty, I…" but she snaps her hand away when their energies meet.

 _Another simple thing I can't have,_ he thinks bitterly. Tandy presses her lips together, thinking hard before she scrambles off the bed and makes a beeline for his closet.

He stutters. "Um, what are you doing?"

"Give me a second." She says over her shoulder, rooting through the hangars until she finds his St. Sebastian sweat shirt. She tosses it behind her before ducking down to search through the trunk on the floor.

"Tandy." He groans, peeling himself off the bed and picking up his hoodie.

"Relax, choir boy. I have an idea."

He doesn't tell her that's exactly what he's afraid of. She bounces over to him with a pair of gloves and a scarf in hand.

"You cold?" he mutters, looking between that and the sweat shirt.

"Shut up." She tosses the gloves to him and begins wrapping the scarf around her face.

The motion must be tugging on her shoulder because her expression is hitched with discomfort.

"Tandy," Ty starts, dropping whatever game they're playing.

" _Shut up._ " She grabs the shirt from him and pulls it over her head. "Give me the gloves." Her voice is muffled by the scarf. He stares at her warily as she puts the gloves on and stands back, arms outstretched. Besides her eyes, she's completely covered from the waist up.

Finally Tyrone gets it and the laugh that escapes him rattles his entire chest.

Tandy motions with her hands. "Come here."

"No way."

"You know you wanna."

"You look terrifying."

Tandy huffs and drops her arms. "Alright, you asked for it."

She leaps at him, locking her arms around his neck and Ty barely has the brain power to grab her by the waist and keep them both from tumbling to the floor. His laugh this time is breathless, a little bewildered. Tandy nuzzles his shoulder like they've done this a hundred times, somehow finding the best way to fit herself against him. It's still awkward. She's up on her toes and practically swimming in his oversized hoodie, but at the same time it's perfect.

Ty would probably pick her up off her feet, spin her around just to mess with her. But she's concussed and he doesn't want to joke right now. He just rests his head against hers and breathes in. They do it in unison and he wonders if divine pairings are always so in sync.

He really has no idea how long they stay like that until someone clears their throat and they both jump. Otis is leaning against the door frame, one eyebrow nearly at his hairline.

"I don't wanna know." He holds up his hand as Ty and Tandy both try to explain. "No, I mean I _really_ don't wanna know. It's getting late. Today's been too long as it is, and Tyrone you've got practice tomorrow." His eyes dart between the two of them, lingering on Tandy's get up before he shakes his head and leaves.

Tandy yanks the scarf down and Ty suspects the redness of her face is from more than just heat. "Well your parents officially despise me."

"Nah, I think they're kind of fascinated by you." He pulls her gloves off. "Like you're an alien species."

"Oh great." She tosses the scarf at his face and he catches it easily.

She side steps him, grabbing the ballet shoe off his bed.

"Um, aren't you forgetting something?" He says.

She stuffs the shoe into the sweatshirt pocket and flips up the hood. "Nope."

"Are you for real, right now?"

"Good night, Tyrone." She says without looking back and he can feel the smirk in her voice.

Ty bites his lip, staring at the doorway another second before collapsing into bed, grinning up at the ceiling until he falls asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

For the first time in what feels like forever, Tyrone's dreams are pleasant. They're a muddle of memories and fantasy, not making any sense – Evita playing ball with him and his brother, Tandy in a St. Sebastian cap and gown – but they're bright and warm and he actually sleeps through the night.

There's no part of him that wants to get up, even when the smell of bacon wafts upstairs, but he'll get hell if he's late to practice again, so he forces his eyes open. Tandy's face is mere inches from his and he nearly screams. He jolts backward, putting distance between them. She's sound asleep, the sleeves of his hoodie curled around her fists and tucked under her chin. Ty realizes he's in the guest bedroom, his bedsheet tangled around his legs.

 _Stupid fricking magic._

His limbs are totally frozen, though his heart feels like it's beating hard enough to shake his entire skeleton. Should he move? Well, yes, obviously he should get the hell out of here. Doing that without waking Tandy is the issue. A dozen _Mission Impossible-_ esque scenarios play out in his head before he remembers the bedsheet around his feet. _Duh_.

At a snail's pace, Ty reaches for the sheet and pulls it up his body. He listens carefully to Tandy's breathing, expecting her to wake up any second, but she doesn't move. Ty finds that odd. She told him that she's a light sleeper. Being homeless means she has to be – always on edge, always waiting for someone to give you trouble.

 _You hurt or you get hurt._ Those had been her exact words. It sounds exhausting. Maybe that's why she's sleeping like the dead; she trusts him enough not to hurt her. The thought makes Tyrone pause and glance at Tandy. Her face is relaxed, even peaceful. He hopes she trusts him, hopes she understands that she's safe here.

He spends a few more moments taking in her expression before reminding himself that this is creepy and he needs to leave. Pulling the sheet over his head, he closes his eyes and imagines himself back in his bedroom. His head swims more than usual, probably because he just woke up and he hasn't eaten yet. Taking a few steadying breaths, Ty hauls himself out of bed and heads downstairs, stopping at the threshold of the kitchen.

Adina is at the stove, making enough scrambled eggs to feed and army. Otis is carrying food from the island into the dining room, which means his parents are in full blown host/hostess mode. Otis is humming loudly as he goes. It's something with a lot of swing and his hips are moving in a way that would make Tyrone blush if anyone else were around.

Their eyes meet and Otis smiles, amping up the swagger. "Morning, son."

Now Tyrone does blush. " _Dad._ "

Adina glances over her shoulder. "Tyrone, what have a told you about sleeping in your jeans?"

" _Mom._ "

"Why do I buy you sleep clothes if you're not gonna wear 'em?"

Ty shakes his head and tries to change the subject. "What's all this for?" He says, gesturing to the lavish spread of food.

Adina stiffens ever so slightly. "Well, we have a guest, don't we?" Although the word 'guest' is clipped in a way that tells Tyrone she's not entirely over what happened last night.

Otis feels it, too, and crosses the kitchen to be beside her, running his hand in circles across her back. She turns to him and they have some sort of telepathic conversation. Her lips turns up at one corner and he kisses her temple. Ty suddenly feels like an intruder. He's seen them kiss plenty of times, but this feels different.

Otis pulls away and resumes setting the table. Ty helps, taking the bowl of eggs from his mother.

"You need a ride to practice?"

"Nah, Evita's driving me. She's got cheer practice today." With a start, he realizes that leaves Tandy out of the equation. "Um… we can stop by Tandy's house on the way there and drop her off."

Adina raises an eyebrow. "Ridgeway is on the other side of town. Y'all are gonna be late."

"I'll take her home." Otis says.

Ty panics. "That's really okay, Dad."

"What's okay?" Tandy mumbles from the doorway. She rubs her eye sleepily, hair sticking out from under her hood in all directions.

Otis answers before Ty can. "If you don't mind, Tandy, I'll be driving you home. Ty and Evita have practice today and Tyrone can't be late again."

Tandy shrugs, unperturbed. "That'd be cool. Thank you."

Ty's pulse is still thundering, but Tandy really doesn't seem worried about it. She shuffles into the dining room, eyes widening just a fraction at the array of food.

"Can I help with anything?" She asks Adina.

"You can eat." She answers, smiling, but it's that smile that Ty knows is well rehearsed. It makes him anxious, though hopefully Tandy can't tell the difference.

She shimmies into the seat beside him while Otis and Adina grab drinking glasses from the kitchen. Her expression is smug, which definitely doesn't help his anxiety.

"What?" he hisses.

Her grin only broadens. "Nothing. Sleep well?" _God damn it, she knows._ His mortification must be amusing because she chuckles. "Calm down, I know it was an accident."

Tyrone sighs. "Sorry I woke you."

"You didn't. I woke up in the middle of the night and there you were. Thanks for the heart attack, by the way." Ty snickers. She gives him an appraising look. "That's gotta be pretty useful, though."

"What do you mean?"

Her voice drops in an attempt to imitate his. "Oh gosh, Evita, I'm so sorry. It was an accident, really. But since I'm here now –"

" _Stop._ "

His parents whip around and Tandy fails to stifle her laughter. They share a knowing look before returning to the table with glasses and a pitcher of juice.

"I take it you're feeling better, Tandy?" Otis says, offering her the pitcher.

"Yeah, much better." She fills her glass to the brim, then makes quick work loading up her plate.

"How's your head?" Ty asks.

"Fine."

"What about your shoulder?"

"Fine."

"You need ibuprofen or something?"

" _Tyrone._ " She stops with the fork halfway to her mouth, leveling him with a heady glare. "I'm fine, okay? I've had a concussion before. I know what to worry about."

That's not nearly as comforting as she probably meant for it to be, but she looks dangerously close to stabbing him with that fork, so he lets it go. His parents make small talk which Tandy contributes to in between mouthfuls of French toast. All through breakfast, Ty waits for last night to come up – questioning Tandy about the beach, the attack, why she hadn't returned Billy's hood – but it never does.

Eventually Ty allows himself to relax. He realizes that it's been months since he's let himself do that. First reconnecting with Tandy, then going after Connors, partnering with O'Reilly. It had all happened so fast and he hadn't given himself a chance to slow down. This feels right: eating with his family, going to practice with Evita, being _normal_.

It has to end, of course, because _shit, he is really going to be late_. Evita's ringtone chimes right on time, letting him know she's outside.

"You going to practice in jeans, son?" Otis asks, smugly sipping his coffee.

 _Shit._

He turns quickly to Tandy. "Tan, are you sure?"

She waves him off. "Stop worrying. I'm fine. Get your ass upstairs."

Otis grunts out a laugh. Ty rolls his eyes, muttering, "Can't believe I put up with this." before taking the stairs two at a time. He doesn't take time to check which uniform is clean, just throws on the first one he finds, grabs his gym bag, and sprints into the living room. He glances back one more time. Otis is saying something to Tandy and she appears to be listening intently. She meets his eyes over his father's shoulder and raises her eyebrow as if to say _get going_.

He doesn't have a clue what her plan is, but it's Tandy. She can find a way. Tyrone finally forces himself out the door and practically throws himself into the passenger seat of Evita's car. Her foot's on the gas before he even shuts the door.

"Woah." Ty exhales. "Easy, speed demon."

She's unfazed. "I've never been late to practice and I ain't gonna start because you overslept."

"I didn't oversleep."

She blinks. "Oh, right. How's Tandy? Anything serious?"

"Not according to the doctor." He sounds unconvinced even to his own ears.

They're stopped at a light and Evita lets her eyes skim over him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just…" He leans back in the seat like he wants it to swallow him. "I'm just worried."

Evita smiles sadly before turning back to the road. Her hand reaches to give his knee a reassuring squeeze. "You're always worried, babe." She looks at him again. "Just let go, at least for today. You're not a part of the divine pairing. You're not Tandy's babysitter. You're not anything. You're just Ty."

They stop at another light and Ty can't help but smile. " _Just_ Ty?" His brow quirks playfully.

She rolls her eyes. "Shut up. You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." He leans in, stealing a kiss before the light changes.

* * *

As hellish as last night had been – from the attack to her fight with Ty – Tandy's morning has been a pleasant surprise. For one thing, she can't remember the last time she was this full or well rested. Her shoulder still aches and her head hurts and _yes_ , some ibuprofen would be nice, but it's nothing she hasn't dealt with before.

Adina rises from the table, eyeing Tandy's empty plate with something close to approval. "Glad someone finally appreciates my cooking."

"That boy of yours doesn't deserve you, Mrs. Johnson," Tandy says, popping a slice of melon into her mouth.

Otis gives a curt laugh again and Tandy's confidence soars. It's strange: last night she'd treated them like regular marks. She said what she thought they wanted to hear in an attempt to gain their trust and not get Ty in trouble. Now things are different, somehow. She wants to make them laugh, wants them to like her – the _real_ her, whatever that is underneath all of her bullshit.

The voice whispers something, but she banishes it to the farthest corner of her mind. Pushing away from the table, she collects the empty glasses and brings them into the kitchen where Otis is filling the sink with hot, soapy water.

"Thank you, Tandy."

"No," she says earnestly, "thank you. Both of you." She turns to Adina. "Really, I'll never be able to thank you enough for everything you did for me."

Adina nods thoughtfully, narrowing her eyes at Tandy's hood. "Is that another sweatshirt you plan on stealing from my son?"

Tandy feels all of the color leave her face. "I… Ty said… he offered…" and that's not entirely true, but hell if she's admitting that.

Otis sighs. "Di."

Adina cracks a smile. "Alright, I'm sorry. I had to." Tandy must still look terrified, because she quickly says, "It's fine, dear. That thing has no sentimental value. And I…" she falters and glances at Otis. He nods encouragingly. "And I want you to have it, truly."

The words feel heavy with sentiment that Tandy doesn't fully understand, though they keep staring like they're waiting for her to figure it out. Her pulse quickens but she reminds herself to stay calm, keep her body language relaxed.

"Ty was just being nice." She says nonchalantly. "I was cold last night and he –"

"Tandy," Adina interrupts, "it's really okay. You don't have to explain yourself."

And then she continues cleaning up breakfast as if nothing happened. Tandy swallows, the pleasant vibe of the morning beginning to slip away.

"I'm going to get changed." She says, needing an out. "I'll just leave your pajamas folded on the bed, if that's okay."

Adina nods. "That's fine."

"Then I'll take you home." Otis says as Tandy forces herself not to run up the stairs.

Her heart is pounding and she isn't even sure why. There was something in their expressions – something so kind and so _parental_ – that she hadn't been expecting. She should feel safe, and she does, but maybe that's just the problem. It had been so easy to accept their kindness, lose herself in the domesticity. She'd let her guard down and that was dangerous.

 _It's the good things you have to guard yourself from the most._

Tandy undresses without any delicacy, her head and shoulder throbbing in protest. She focusses on the pain – almost welcomes it – because that's something she understands. Her phone is nearly dead, but she's at least glad it hadn't fallen from her pocket during the fight. There are three messages from Ty sent this morning.

 _NOT LATE!_

 _EVITA ASKED HOW YOU WERE DOING. SAID YOU'RE OK._

 _REALLY, THOUGH. YOU OK?_

Despite her pounding headache and the lesson she'd _just_ told herself, Tandy smiles.

CAN'T TALK. FOOD COMA.

He won't respond until practice is over, which is fine because she's going to have to walk all the way from Ridgeway Estates to the church before she can even grab her phone charger and then walk to the internet café several blocks down to plug in.

She grabs the ballet slipper and tucks it into her sweatshirt pocket, makes a final attempt at fixing her hair, and speeds back downstairs. Breakfast is all cleaned up and Adina is spreading out a series of documents atop the now clear table; working on the weekend, as Ty said she often did. Otis is standing casually by the door, hands in his pockets.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah." Tandy says, gearing up to thank them again but Adina quickly crosses the room and steals the words from her mouth.

Her eyes are piercing in their intensity, but there's that motherly softness to them, even now. She takes Tandy's hands in her own and she has to fight the surge of energy it sends up her arms.

"Tandy, honey, I know you said you didn't plan on reporting the incident." Adina says gently, "But I have friends, too. One of my associates, his wife is a lawyer who specializes in assault cases."

Cold indifference permeates Tandy's mind, as it often does if she's not high on adrenaline or in the middle of a depressive episode – two extremes buffered by total numbness. Adina tells her to think about it and she says she will. She thanks them again, tells them she'll make it up to them, but it's all automatic. The only sensation that really registers is the need to run, to get away.

Otis asks if she needs anything before they leave, but she says no. She climbs into the car with mounting certainty.

 _Away, away, away. I just need away._

She pulls the hood up over her head and disappears beneath it, closing her eyes and wishing the darkness could take her away for real.


End file.
